Wave Makers: looking for advice

So, as I set up a 75g salt tank, I am looking into adding some type of wave maker system(mechanical or electrical). I would like to know who uses them, what kind and how they work for you. Thanks.

Scott I haven't used them before but if we ever upgrade our tank to something bigger it might be something I look into getting.

Thanks for the bump. After seeing a few reads to this post and no reply, I figures not a lot of folks here use them. So, I will do some research and post back my findings and decision.

Scott

I kinda played around with the idea of using a bucket with a u shaped pipe in it, the idea was using it over the tank on the sump return line, once the water level gets to the top of the U it starts a siphon that drains the bucket and breaks the siphon, then fills back up.
kinda like this http://www.krob.com/page2/page20/page20.html
I tested it and it worked but it sounded like a toilet flushing every few seconds, really annoying. And I didn't like the idea of a bucket sitting on the tank.

There's a few local guys that use controllers to turn on/off pumps on their reef tanks.

Thanks Bull. It seems like a great idea if the tank were an "in the wall" display with the equipment in a small room or something like that. The sound of water running in the livingroom here would cause us to jump up and investigate. I don't like the idea of hearing "toilet flushing"

Scott

vortech has an awesome line of mavemakers/controllers but are very expensive. i have one client who uses a couple vortechs and its awesome. figuring out the timing with them is pretty easy too

i take care of a few tanks using tunze controllers with asst pumps, and it works great, but still up there in price.

ive been quite please with my zoo med powersweep in my reef. they do 270gph. and sweep back and forth for irregular flow to reduce any dead spots. 2 might be the best bang for ur buck.

u could also use Koralia's with a controller.

only downside with koralias and powersweeps is that they are a bit intrusive in the tank.

have u thought about a closed loop system, or are u dedicated to a wavemaker set-up?

Thanks Chris-

Yeah, vortech would be the way to go. I like their compact design but you are right, too esspensive.

I was looking at the powersweep in a LFS and it turns out that it had been returned a few times cause it didn't work or didn't work right. So, I am a bit concerned. I might give it a try though. worst case is I take it back.

The Koralias are a bit large and I don't realy care for that.

I am thinking about picking up a Hydro FLOW rotating deflector and see how they work. Its not a true wave maker but it constantly changes the direction of flow to remove dead spots. I have read both good and bad reviews on them but they are cheap and if they work, great, if not, they go back.

Chris, I am not sure what you mean by a closed loop system? I am open to all sorts of ideas. Not realy dedicated to a wavemaker set up if there is some other way to achieve the water movement I am looking for.

closed loop would be something like this (basically an undergravel jet system:

https://media.photobucket.com/image/under%20gravel%20jet%20system/BrianInOkc/109_7311.jpg?o=1
this would go under your sand so u will have a few "jets" sticking out. this setup pictured above is good but i would put that middle pipe by a corner just so its not in the middle of the tank. and an external pump to run it. remember this is just an example u can add jets wherever u would like on the system.

ive set up a couple reefs like this and they work great and are very easy to DIY. u wont get irregular flow however... but u can angle them to hit behind ur live rock to prevent dead spots. and hide the jets with rock/decor.

just another option, if u plan on having any digging creatures... diamond gobys etc... then u might not want to go with a closed loop since the pvc will be exposed when they decide to excavate.

i wish those vortech pumps and controllers werent so ridiculously priced cuz they are awesome. i love how only the propeller is in the water and motor is on the other side of the glass. even the small ones MOVE water. i would imagine there price will come down over the next year... im hopin at least.

Look at the second power center on here. It has a Wave Maker option. Not sure if this will help you.
http://www.aquatichouse.com/Maintenance_files/Power%20Center.asp

Thanks Roger. I don't think I have seen that second one before or I just passed it over. We run the first one, digital, to run our lights and they work great. The second one seems a bit different with a 3rd option. The problems, to me, with the digital one is that there are only the DAY and NIGHT outlets that that can't be overlapped. Now, that may be hw they all work and it may be less of a problem than I think it is.

One thing I do find kind of funny with a lot of the wave maker units is that they have a 15 minute minimun interval that make "natural" wave motion. I have been in the ocean many times and never have I been blasted by the same wave for 15 minutes. Now I realize that real short burst of the powerheads could get some real waves going and push water out of the tank if one isn't carefull. But 15 minutes??

Here is one of the ones I am looking at. It is a bit on the spendy side.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4588+4783&pcatid=4783

scott, good product... my favorite tank i take care of has this controller. its so nice to hit a button and all the pumps turn off for feeding and such...

Thats fine Scott.

Just a suggestion. I have 2 of these I don't use the wave maker.

A cheap way to make a working wavemaker. " It's just a simple timer that drives a Tunze 6100 stream on/off with a frequency variable from about 0.2sec - 3 secs" (text from youtube).